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  1. Negotiations

:: Across the board ::

This section contains news and analysis of sweeping developments that affect the overall push and pull towards FTAs and bilateral investment treaties. This means major trends relating to bilateralism, often with global consequences, and other cross-cutting issues. New developments arising from US politics, the WTO or South-South alliance-building, for instance, are often reported here as they tend to have systemic impacts.

last update: May 2012

2018 national trade estimate report on foreign trade barriers
5-Apr-2018 Office of the US Trade Representative
The report highlights significant foreign barriers to US exports.
How free trade hypocrisies are hurting our world
4-Apr-2018 Greenpeace
Rich countries have made our current trade rules and made sure that these rules suit their needs, providing few means for people in poor countries to protect themselves from aggressive export policies.
Turkey, Somalia sign Economic Partnership Agreement
15-Jan-2018 Somali Update
Last week, Turkey and Somalia signed economic partnership agreement.The countries also came to an understanding on fishing and fisheries. Under this, Turkish fishermen will be able to fish in Somalia’s territorial waters.
Globalisation: time to look at historic mistakes to plot the future
13-Dec-2017 The Guardian
Trade deals were hammered out in secret by multinationals at the expense of workers and citizens. Benefits must be shared if the global economy is to work.
ITUC emergency resolution on MC11 disaccreditation
1-Dec-2017 ITUC
The ITUC General Council adopted an emergency resolution strongly condemning Argentina’s decision to deny accreditation to more than 60 civil society representatives to the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference.
Neoliberal Argentina bans NGOs from WTO summit in last-minute ’unprecedented’ move
1-Dec-2017 TeleSur
"The government may prevent us from coming to Buenos Aires, but they won’t stop us from mobilizing our local communities," said one organizer whose visa was denied.
What to do about the EU’s new trade agenda in Latin America?
24-Nov-2017 Rosa Luxembourg Stiftung
About ten years ago, the European Union (EU) introduced Global Europe, its most ambitious trade policy strategy to date. It was intended to open up new markets worldwide through new bilateral trade and investment agreements.
Pacific Alliance, associate members kick off free trade negotiations
2-Nov-2017 ICTSD
The talks aim to confirm Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore’s status of “associate members” to the Latin American trading coalition.
Trade for the people
23-Oct-2017 IBON
"Trade for the People" briefly covers how the new FTAs, such as the TPP, the RCEP and the EPAs in Africa continue to threaten people’s rights.
Responsible investment provisions in international investment treaties: where next?
23-Oct-2017 IIED
How international investment treaties could promote more responsible investment and argues that, while some innovative practices are emerging, there is still much to do.

    Links

  • #A18DoA - Global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties
    Website for the global day of action to defeat free trade and investment treaties #A18DoA
  • 21st Century Trade Agreements: Implications for Long-Run Development Policy
    A publication of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future. The paper examines the policy space available under various free trade regimes for countries pursuing industrial policies for development.
  • Alianza Social Continental
    La Alianza Social Continental es un foro de organizaciones y movimientos sociales progresistas de las Américas, creado para intercambiar información, definir estrategias y promover acciones conjuntas, todo ello encaminado a la búsqueda de un modelo de desarrollo alternativo y democrático, que beneficie a nuestros pueblos
  • ICC
    International Chamber of Commerce
  • Movimientos.org
    A multilingual (English, Spanish, Portuguese) website focusing on social movements and their campaigns, including those against bilateral and regional FTAs.
  • Pambazuka
    In this week’s edition of the Emerging Powers News Round-Up, read a comprehensive list of news stories and opinion pieces related to China, India and other emerging powers...
  • People over profit
    People Over Profit is a campaign network that unites peoples movements and NGOs across the globe to stop free trade agreements (FTAs) and corporate plunder, launched in October 2016.
  • Peoples Global Action
    In February 1998, movements from all continents met in Geneva to launch a worldwide coordination of resistances to the global market, a new alliance of struggle and mutual support called Peoples’ Global Action against "Free" Trade and the World Trade Organisation (PGA).
  • Regional/Multilateral Integration Agreements
    Selected research papers on regional trade agreements, from internationaleconomics.net
  • SOMO
    SOMO links the negotiations and rules on international trade and investment with the actual conduct of corporations within these rules and agreements.
  • South Centre
    An intergovernmental organisation of developing countries
  • Stop fast track!
    10 days to stop fast track in the United States: Jan 22 - 31 2014
  • Third World Network
    TWN’s website is a good source of information and analysis about what’s happening within the multilateral trade system (WTO, UNCTAD, G77, etc).
  • WorldTradeLaw.net
    WorldTradeLaw.net offers a free library of current trade news and resources; a database of dispute settlement tables and statistics; and a user-friendly search tool for legal texts, and other documents.